Anyone ever experience withdrawals from lexapro? Any advice?

I don't know the withdrawal symptoms, but I hope they are nothing like the side effects I experienced a few weeks ago when they started me on a dosage that was too strong.

Andrew

I stopped taking my venlafaxine and mirtazapine this last week past, I've since resumed. I dunno the more your brain gets used to them it can be hard but your better then that! My mirtazapine stopped giving me withdrawals I think after you come off them it's a peice of cake

Laura

The worst thing is to sit around and focus on the bad thoughts, go for a long walk or jog to get your mind off it...a tread mill. Whatever works. Exercise has helped so many people i know to combat anxiety, depression, etc. A good diet helps too, especially as we get older.

Bern

Withdrawing from anything takes time and patience your body goes into shock and needs time to adjust its not an easy quick fix .You have come so far u r strong and doing an awesome job good on u.

Ken

I have and it's the absolute worst feeling I've ever felt. I take 20mg a day and I quit all at once thinking it wouldn't affect me. Wrong. I cried for about a week over everything and had panic attacks worse than I ever did before I took it. If you have to/want to stop taking it you have to do it gradually.

Loretta

Idk what your having trouble with but I've been doing different exercises and stuff that help with different things. Including depression. You could google things to get some ideas. Maybe that would help once your done with the withdrawing part idk
It sounds crazy but some of it really helps I was surprised but it's better than being so young and on all these meds you know. Doctors don't care they just want customers.

Can

I've been going to tons of doctors lol cuz I have so many crazy symptoms including weak feeling arms and legs and my head feels funny all the time
Not sure if it's the meds still causing this so I've been doing some tests - more blood work yesterday and an mri of my spine next week
Hopefully everything is fine cuz I don't wanna feel like this :(

Christina

If you stopped the meds and aren't taking any others it may just be panic attack/anxiety symptoms if that is what you were on them in the first place for. I would get really weird symptoms including feeling like I couldn't feel my legs, tingly skin etc. For natural remedies look into high dose omega 3, passionflower extract and check this website.

Ber

It is no doubt the meds. I withdrew from Effexor. And for 3-6 months I had ringing ears, lightheaded, vision issues... You need to taper off, and even then certain antidepressants are worse being off of than on (that's probably so you stay on forever!) Not to say that they can't be a God-send when you need something!

Kris

You're not only dealing with the withdrawal of your system from a powerful medication but you are dealinng with the resurgence of the symptoms it was prescribed to manage. Despite what some may want you to believe, we in the medical profession do not have malice and financial gain as our interest when prescribing treatment for our patients, we want to heal and it is frustrating and heartbreaking when we can't always provide all the answers - that does not make us incompetent, that makes us human and not all-knowing - that we leave up to God. Unfortunately, we know we do not know everything and simply try our best with the resources available to us. Please keep this in mind, be patient, pray, take deep breaths and know that there is an answer out there for you - keep persisting. You can do this!

Jason

If I could be cloned, would I be best friends with me or would I even like me? Probably something most people with mental illness would ask themselves at some point. And sometimes those closest to you are the ones who are less likely to be around when you need them ironically, because they've heard it all before and feel helpless. But I've also been through it all before, and I know I've been through far worse, so I'm ok,
As you may be able to tell insomnia is the still the real issue for me. Still haven't slept and I have a full day and night ahead of me. This is obviously a major factor with fatigue, so it's hard to tell if the reduction in medication will help. Last night I would say I felt pretty vague and unfocused. It was one of those nights where if my clone was there he probably would have punched me in the face - not because I did anything terribly wrong but I just felt weird. Probably not the best time to go out, but it probably wasn't bad enough for anyone to really notice. I did have that all day headache as well. Minimal depression and anxiety, but it was still under the surface.
Fortunately the physical withdrawal symptoms have been pretty minor so far. In the past they have been extreme, but I'm watching out for it. I'm hoping some of the mental issues that came up last time will be avoided due to better circumstances that I find myself in now. You do notice who isn't there more often when you're going through something like this, so I have to try and control the paranoia which can dominate when you're effectively altering your brain chemistry.
On the positive side I'm really looking forward to getting Tim's vocals back for the new Ilium album (well, re-recording of our debut). Band stuff can definitely provide 'bipolar moments' though. I simply cannot be objective - sometimes I can listen to our stuff and be surprised by how good it is, and then I'll think about our stuff without listening and start to imagine all these 'faults' . It's a weird thing. And the truth is, with the way the music industry is, you really can't expect a lot of praise. I will be having some food therapy today as well, so I'm looking forward to that.
Again, just the frustration of not sleeping......
Thanks for listening

Carrie

Keep your head up, think positive and just do the best you can and take time to breathe. Once you get through the withdrawals, you will feel a lot better mentally. Withdrawals don't just do physical things to a person, it hurts the mind also. Good luck, and remember to breathe, long, deep cleansing breathes.

Desi

Don't stop it completely. You have to lower the dose gradually. Take it one night, not the next, for a week. Then go without it for two days, so on.

Mo

Yeah quitting a serious pill like that cold turkey can MESS up your brain for a few weeks. Your chemical balance is crazy outa wack. You should talk to your doctor.

Caitl342

By the way since you just quit cold turkey it means you are having withdrawals. Do not keep taking it and read more about the withdrawals and be prepared. There are many online doctor forums that will give you advice.

Nat

've come off both and the withdrawals aren't as bad as I thought they would be, I was on 1500mg of lithium a day, halved it for a couple of days, then halved again then completely stopped. But everyone is different ☺

Lauren

I went through the same thing when I tried to go off of paxil. It was absolutely awful. I did it slowly, the way the doctor recommended, but it was still brain zaps, and tingliness, nausea, dizziness. I could barely walk in a straight line I was so off balance. Depression got the worst it has ever been and the same thing happened with my eyes, I had to get hydrocortisone cream to try to make them less dry and enflamed. Anyways, the point is, I wasn't ready to be off medication. Certain medications have really bad withdrawal, like Paxil (I'm not sure about Lexapro), but I tried to go off everything but my Ativan all at once. It didnt' work for me because I wasn't emotionally ready for it. For me, the medication does help me. Now I am on a mixture of different medications at lower doses. I don't need my Ativan, I have it only as a safety net (I use it maybe once every two months if that) and I have never felt better. Maybe Lexapro wasn't right fro you, but maybe you do need to be on something. I don't want to be pro-medication, but Ativan is very addictive and taking two and a half a day means that maybe you need something else to help. Whatever path you choose, remember, you're NOT alone, ever! We're all out here and we've all been where you are

Jam32

Been on Lexapro for over 5 yrs. 3 or 4 times I've gone off it and my main symptoms were a light feeling in my head, sort of like low blood pressure with dizziness. And a fluttering in my chest. Obviously anxiety increased with these symptoms but after a while it was all good. Needless to say a few months down the track I spiraled into deep anxiety and depression and found my self taking Lexapro again. 5 yrs on and I'm still battling here and there with anxiety but I guess I'm leading a fairly normal life compared to my friends and family. Coming of this medication is not fun...but can be done.

JN

Just went through the process myself - its the pits.

Can last 4-8 weeks depending on how long you were on them - but they so taper off after a couple of weeks.

Take some magnesium.

There is nothing you can do except drink water and wait for it to end - its basically your brain trying to re-adjust to not having the meds.

Take panadol to help the headaches - i know what your going through its not fun but it will die off over the course of 4-8 weeks.

Sarah

A long time ago I was on another med which did the same thing. I tried to wean off by reducing the standard way and I was really unwell. The only way I was able to do it was very slowly. Literally I had to open a capsule and tip half the contents into a spoon full of yoghurt. Then after a week of that, a quarter of the capsule for another week. It was a painfully slow process but otherwise I just couldn't function. Talk to your doctor. .. maybe you weaned too quickly.

kr13

Firstly good on you! I was on lexapro after my cancer diagnosis and can honestly say out of all the meds I was on lexapro was the worst to come off. Doctors should tell you this and they don't, sometimes I think because they know once your on them they can keep you on them because the withdrawals are horrible!
The only thing I found to give me some relief from the brain shocks and other symptoms was high dose omega 3's. Good luck with your journey

Chris

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Caleb

The medical professional method would be to switch to Fluoxetine and taper that down (due to longer half life, it's hard to taper something so short lasting like velafaxine) IMO, because ''Venlafaxine indirectly affects opioid receptors (mu-, kappa1- kappa3- and delta-opioid receptor subtypes)'' you'd be best off taking a bunch of Agmatine, Magnesium glycinate & citrate & Memantine (hard to obtain, unless you know who to get it from) should help withdrawal while making it quicker. If your friend wants a sustainable and non-shitty antidepressant like any of the following (also used in combo): Moclobemide, Selegiline, Memantine (Dual uses yay!), *low* dose Tianeptine then he can contact our friendly Portuguese pharmacist friend :D

Kathy

Get yourself one of those pill holders that have the days of the week on it. I tried going off this drug 2 years ago and went through 3 months of hell. Dizzy, shaky, head zaps, nausea, heart palpitations, headache, you name it. I was cutting down very slowly too. Then the anger hit and I couldn't handle it anymore. I had to go back to the doctor and get another drug. Try not to ever miss your dose. - admin

Lekat

You must take again your daily dose for 2 or 3 weeks then if you want come off them start to reduce 10% of that daily dose for 2 weeks if you feel ok continue to reduce 10% only and 2 weeks untill 1 mg by day ,you need to dissolve 75 mg of your antidepressant in 75ml of water or juice,you need a syringue. And see websites (survivinganti. Com and patient-uk.co) i m like you. Good luck